William Geib

Biography

William Geib, of 170 Broadway, New York, was among the pianoforte-makers who exhibited at the first exhibition of the New York Mechanics' Institute, held in the early part of 1830 in the building later occupied by Castle Garden. He entered a grand pianoforte, competing for the gold medal the exhibition committee had set aside for the 'best grand pianoforte' category. The surviving text is truncated before recording the specific result of his entry, so it is not stated in this portion of the book whether Geib received an award. No further biographical detail about Geib is given here. William Geib, a nephew within the Geib family of pianoforte-makers, appeared in 1821 at 23 Maiden Lane in New York alongside his relative Adam Geib. There the firm of Geib & Walker was established, and William Geib subsequently carried on the piano-making business by himself, trading under his own name up to a comparatively recent date at the time Spillane was writing. William Geib was a partner, with Daniel Walker, in the New York firm of Geib & Walker, located at 23 Maiden Lane. The firm was well known past 1830 not only as piano manufacturers but also as music publishers and importers of miscellaneous musical instruments, reflecting a broader trade profile than many contemporary makers. William Geib was a New York piano maker cited by Spillane as one of the competitors Alpheus Babcock faced at the Franklin Institute exhibition in Philadelphia, where Babcock's instrument won the top premium. No further biographical detail about Geib is given in this text.

Highlights

• New York piano maker who competed with Alpheus Babcock at the Franklin Institute exhibition
• A nephew within the Geib piano-making family; appeared in 1821 at 23 Maiden Lane alongside Adam Geib.
• Partner in the firm Geib & Walker; subsequently carried on the piano business alone under his own name, William Geib, up to a recent date.
• Exhibited a grand pianoforte, from his premises at 170 Broadway, at the first New York Mechanics' Institute exhibition in 1830
• Partner with Daniel Walker in Geib & Walker, 23 Maiden Lane, New York.

Source

Daniel Spillane, History of the American Pianoforte (1890), pp. 86, 105, 160.

Public domain.